by Alanna Lucas
“It’s okay. She asked for suggestions, I told her Chez Phoebe was currently vacant.”
A little giggle escaped Tessa’s lips. Playing along, she asked, “So, Chez Phoebe can accommodate me as well?”
“I think we can manage that.” She squeezed Tessa’s hand from across the counter. “Do Rex and Bernie know?”
“Do I even want to know what you’re trying to keep from Grams?” Mary inquired as she walked into the coffee shop, only pausing to give Tessa a hug. “I was hoping to catch you here.”
“How did you know where to find me?”
“I don’t know if anyone ever told you, Tessa, but Devlin is a small town and word travels fast.” Mary’s tone turned serious. “Dorothy told me. I thought I would find you burying yourself in work, but she said that you finished everything before she even arrived this morning. Should I try to guess what you’re not going to tell Grams and my brother?”
Tessa was reluctant to share too much. This was Rex’s sister after all. She hemmed and hawed for a moment before voicing her plans, all prepared to defend her decision. “I’m going to stay with Phoebe for a little while.”
“I think that’s a wise decision.”
“You do?” Tessa and Phoebe asked in unison.
“Rex told me just a little about what happened and… about your past.” Mary took Tessa’s hands in hers. Her eyes softened. “He adores you and would do anything to make you happy. I wish I had some wonderful words of wisdom, but I don’t. Natalia’s not a bad person, just a little selfish. Deep down I believe she does want what’s best for Alec, and that means re-prioritizing. There are still a lot of unknowns, and a lot to think about.”
“Thank you, Mary. I just don’t know what to think or how to proceed.”
“You need to give it time. It’s not as bad as you think.”
Tessa really did wish people would stop telling her it wasn’t that bad. Had they been there when she got that horrible phone call? Or when she drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital, praying that her family would survive? Or when she held her little boy as he took his last breath?
What would she do if she got attached to Rex’s son and things didn’t work out or Natalia took him away? And then there was the other reason, too painful to even think about.
So much had happened within a short amount of time. Sometime during the journey home from Portland, reality sank in. The little sleeping toddler in the backseat was in truth his son. I have a son. The words soared through him, springing to life a dormant dream. A dream of taking his son fishing, teaching him to ride a bike, and taking him for hikes the way his own father had when Rex was little.
But dark shadows lingered at the edge of his dream. Tessa. He couldn’t force her to accept his son. Rex tightened his grasp on the steering wheel, saying a silent prayer. After all the ups and downs in his life—in both their lives—he wanted nothing more than to give Tessa the life she deserved, full of love and happiness, and… children.
The daunting weight of suddenly being a father was nothing compared with the regret of how he’d left things with Tessa. Part of him found it difficult to understand why she was acting the way she was. They were in love and everything had been going great. Why should Natalia’s arrival change all that?
It wasn’t just her arrival, it was the fact that he now had a son, he reminded himself. Rex didn’t know what to do. He wouldn’t neglect his son, but didn’t want to lose Tessa. He didn’t know how to achieve both.
“You’re awfully quiet over there,” Natalia said before glancing behind into the back seat.
Rex didn’t need to even ask if Grams was asleep. For as long as he could remember, napping in the car had been one of her favorite pastimes. Plane rides were even worse. They wouldn’t even be cleared for takeoff and Grams would be out cold. It would seem Alec took after Grams in that regard. Rex was amazed at how much the little boy slept in the car. None of his sister’s children could even keep quiet during a car ride, let alone sleep.
“They’re both sound asleep.” Natalia shifted in her seat, staring straight at Rex. Her deep gaze penetrated straight to his core. “What are you thinking?”
Discussing his relationship with Tessa was not something he wished to do with his ex. He steered the conversation to other things he was curious about.
“Tell me about Alec.”
The moment she started talking about Alec, Natalia’s eyes sparkled with life. Love and pride laced each word she spoke. “He turned two July twenty-seventh. He loves puppies, really any animal.” She took in a long haggard breath. “Even at two, he’s so caring, and such a good-natured little guy. He reminds me of you—full of mischief, but so sweet.” Tears started streaming down her cheeks. “What if I don’t… I’m going to miss him,” she said on a sob, wiping away the tears with trembling hands.
“No matter what happens, I’ll make sure he never forgets you.” They had been through so much together, shared so many happy childhood memories. Natalia had been his first love.
She worried her faded pink lip. “Please don’t tell him what I did. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t have left. I would’ve talked to you about how I felt. I would’ve told you about the pregnancy the moment I found out.”
It was too late for would haves. Rex reached across the center console and took her hand. “Don’t worry, he won’t know about all that.” He swallowed the hard, painful lump in his throat. “We both made mistakes.”
“Rex, I’m so scared.”
Sweet memories from the distant past whispered against his heart. Despite everything, he still cared for her. Not in the same way he’d grown to love Tessa, but he still cared, and it tore him apart to see Natalia like this. “I’m not going to let you go through this alone.”
She looked up at him. Shock, surprise, and relief flashed through her dull brown eyes. “Do you think there’s still hope for us?”
It wasn’t the first time she had asked the question, but he needed to ensure it was the last. This was not the conversation Rex wanted to be having with his ex while Grams was in the backseat—asleep or not—but he didn’t know when he would have another quiet moment alone with Natalia.
“No.”
She turned away, edging closer to the passenger door. “I guess I should’ve expected that.”
Rex inhaled deeply, measuring his next words carefully. “Too much has happened, too much time has passed.”
“What’s she like?”
“How do you know there’s someone else?”
“Oh please, Rex, we may not have spoken in three years, but I know you.” She offered a sideways glance. “I saw the concern in your eyes for Tessa yesterday morning. Is it serious?”
He kept his gaze focused on the road in front of him. “Always the curious one.”
“You rarely talked about things, so I got good at reading between the lines and asking questions.”
“I’m sorry Natalia. We both screwed things up.”
“I guess that’s a polite way to put it. So, are you going to tell me about her, or should I pester Bernie when she wakes up?”
Rex shot her what he hoped was a don’t you dare glare before he answered her question. “Tessa has had a rough several years.” He was in awe of how much she’d overcome and all she’d accomplished. He kept the information to just the facts and by the end, Natalia was in tears.
“I can’t imagine how she was able to get past all that. Do you think she’ll ever be okay around children?”
Rex knew exactly what Natalia was asking. “With a little time, I hope she will be comfortable around Alec.”
Natalia was lost in her own thoughts for a long time before she turned to Rex. “I think I would like to stay in Devlin permanently. It is a good place to raise kids, and Alec needs family.”
Rex felt like he’d been handed a little gift. It wouldn’t be easy, but at least he knew that once Natalia was well, she wouldn’t be running off again. Perhaps that would ease some of Tessa’s concer
ns as well.
“Are you feeling well enough to make a stop before I take you back to the B & B?”
“Are you asking if I’d be willing to meet Tessa?”
Rex chuckled. “Curious and perceptive.”
“I’d like to meet her.” Emotion strangled her next words. “Perhaps Tessa’s strength and courage might rub off on me.”
Rex had called Tessa, letting her know they were on their way back to Devlin. She didn’t even have to ask, instantly knowing by the tone in his voice that Alec was in fact his son. It did not come as a surprise. One look at the little boy and Tessa could see the family resemblance. She didn’t know what the future would hold, but she couldn’t worry about that now. She had a bookstore to run.
When her mother was alive, they had talked for endless hours about this dream. Now that it was a reality, Tessa was not going to let anything stand in the way of making On the Wings of Love the most successful bookstore in the state. She knew her mom would be so proud.
She’d already met some amazing women who’d overcome tremendous hardships with the help of romance novels. She wanted to share their stories. Today’s task was to design a separate page on the bookstore website dedicated to these women.
With her head buried in her laptop, she spent the next several hours designing, editing, cutting and pasting pictures, and adding snippets while Dorothy tended the store.
However, the bellowing tone of a rather irate woman broke her concentration. “This is where that woman is supposed to be.”
She clicked ‘save’, closed the lid on her laptop, and then headed downstairs to deal with whatever the issue was.
“I’ll handle this, Dorothy,” she began in a low tone for her employee’s ears only before turning to the older couple. “Good afternoon, how may—”
“I’m looking for my daughter.” The woman stated as she crossed the width of the store with an assessing and critical look in her eyes.
Tessa only had three employees, and she was pretty certain this couple could not be speaking of Bernie or Nina. She glanced over to Dorothy, who offered a confused shrug.
“I’m sorry, I believe you have—”
The woman cut Tessa off for the second time in a matter of only a couple of minutes. “Stephaney told me that if no one was up at the house, the woman…” She waved her hand in the air with nonchalance. “Teresa, or some such name, could tell me where to find her.”
“Perhaps if you—”
“Mother?” A silky voice questioned from behind.
That obnoxious woman was Natalia’s mother?
Natalia’s mother rushed past Tessa and embraced her daughter. The man, who she assumed was Natalia’s father, did the same.
“Oh, my darling, I was so happy to receive your text.”
“Mother, we need—”
“I never thought you’d return to Devlin, but here you are! Does this mean that you and Rex are going to get back together? I told you it was a mistake to leave him.”
As if on cue, Rex strolled into the bookstore carrying Alec, with Bernie close behind. He started toward Tessa, but the sight of Natalia’s parents stopped him short. “Gladys? Harry? What are you—”
“I ran into Stephaney.” The woman Rex just referred to as Gladys glanced toward Rex and Alec, then Tessa, and finally settled her gaze on Natalia. Her eyes narrowed. “What’s this all about? Is that your child?”
“Mother,” Natalia started in a soft, yet firm tone, “this isn’t the place to be discussing—”
“What needs to be discussed? Clearly something is going on here and I haven’t a clue as to what that is,” she huffed.
Tessa was beginning to understand why Natalia had trouble communicating with her mother—it was impossible to finish a sentence with her around. She watched the scene unfold as if from outside her own body, and all she could do was stand back and watch.
“This is mine and Rex’s son. His name is Alec.”
“I have a grandson? Let me hold him.” Gladys charged toward the toddler who instantly buried his little head against Rex’s neck.
Rex opened his mouth as if to speak but was quickly silenced by Gladys’ harsh glare.
“Oh, I see.” Gladys turned her attention back to Natalia. “Does this mean you two are back together?”
“Mother, please let’s go—”
She crossed her arms across her portly mid-section. “I’m not leaving until I know what’s going on. We don’t hear from you for almost three years and then get a cryptic text saying you’re back in Devlin.” Gladys shifted her position before huffing with much drama. “No, I’m not leaving.”
Natalia looked deflated and, in that moment, Tessa truly felt sorry for the woman. Her own mother had been wonderful and supportive, had been one of her best friends. She couldn’t imagine having a mother like Gladys.
“You want to know what’s going on?” Natalia shouted. “I had a son that I kept from Rex. I was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer. I’m having surgery in three days. I texted thinking you would come here and be happy to see me, perhaps even offer kind words and affection, but clearly—”
Tears were streaming down Gladys’ face as hysterics set in. “Oh, my darling! Are you going to die? I cannot possibly… of course whatever you need. Is Rex going to take care of you?”
“I will be taking care of my son and—” For the second time since Rex arrived, he tried to finish a sentence, but was quickly silenced.
“You cannot possibly abandon Natalia in her time of need!”
“I’m not abandoning anyone,” Rex said. “But we’re no longer married and—”
“But the child needs both his parents.” Gladys glanced about the store, her gaze settling on Tessa. “I heard there was another woman. Are you her?” she growled her accusation in a harsh tone.
“You don’t understand,” Tessa said firmly.
Rex stepped forward. His tone was unyielding. “Gladys, there is no other woman. Natalia and I divorced three years. We each moved on, but recently things have changed. Now, if we could just move this conversation to—”
“I told you that I’m not leaving until I know what’s going on. This is ridiculous!” Gladys’ voice rose several octaves. “This is my daughter and my grandson. I should have a say. I don’t know who this woman thinks she is, but—” She wagged her finger at Tessa. “I demand to know why she broke up your marriage.”
Tessa had had enough. Without thought of consequence, words spewed from her mouth. “I didn’t break up anyone’s marriage, you… you bitter old biddy. You have no right marching in here and—”
“I have every right and besides—”
“No, you don’t,” Rex began but his words were drowned out by an unlikely ally.
“Mother! Tessa had nothing to do with the current situation. Leave her out of it.” All eyes turned toward Natalia. “You have no right. Why do think I left? Why do you think I never visited?”
The words hung in the air as guilt, remorse, and anger streaked across Gladys’ face. Tessa did not want these people in her bookshop, her sanctuary, her dream, any longer. Courage bubbled within, overflowing into words.
“Please leave immediately.”
“But—” Gladys began, but it was Tessa’s turn to interrupt.
“This is my bookshop and you are not welcome here.”
It felt good to fight for what was hers. Tessa glanced over at Rex. Pride shone brightly in his eyes. Some of the distance that had crept between them seemed to close just a little.
“We can talk at the house,” Natalia offered as she looked over to Rex, seemingly for support. A streak of jealousy weaved down Tessa’s spine. It would never be just her and Rex anymore. The reality was hard to swallow.
Rex—with the help of Grams—ushered everyone out of the bookstore. He wanted nothing more than to tell Tessa how proud he was of her, but he needed to help Natalia deal with her parents. It was past time to set the record straight.
With Alec still in h
is arms, he strolled up to Tessa. “I’m going to take Natalia and Alec to her parents. Can I take you out to dinner tonight?”
She shook her head. “I have quite a few things that I need to finish up here.”
There was so much sadness and uncertainty in her eyes. “I don’t mind waiting.” Not caring that everyone was watching, he leaned down and brushed a soft kiss across her lips, hoping to ease some of her concerns. “I’ll stop by Grams’ after this is all settled.”
Tessa sort of half nodded, half shook her head.
He kissed her once again, then headed out. He didn’t even want to contemplate the odd look she gave him that settled like a brick in his gut. One problem at a time.
Hours later, Natalia had agreed that she and Alec would stay with her parents until her surgery. After which, Alec would live with Rex at Grams’ place. Mary had offered to take care of Alec, but Rex would not hear of it. Alec was his son. If he needed help, he’d ask.
Gladys was not pleased about the arrangement, but she quickly realized that if she did not cooperate, she would lose her daughter again—perhaps forever this time.
Rex was exhausted by the time he left them. He had forgotten how high-strung Natalia’s mother could be and the current situation only intensified everyone’s emotions.
Since the bookstore had closed a couple of hours ago, Rex figured Tessa had retired to the house, but when he entered and saw Grams sitting alone at the table, her features sullen and sagging, his heart stopped beating for a moment.
“What’s wrong?”
Grams inhaled deeply and then on a slow breath explained. “Tessa is staying with Phoebe.”
“What?” The single word echoed loudly through the kitchen.
“After everyone left, she told me that you needed to be with your son, to focus on him. Jillian arrived today and I think…” Grams sighed. “She needs to be with her best friend right now. Jillian knows Tessa—”
“I know Tessa!” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair.
“I know, but it’s not the same,” Grams said in a calming voice. “Rex, this is hard for her. She lost her baby. That loss does not heal so easily. No matter how wonderful we think Alec is, no matter how supportive and understanding Tessa is trying to be, it doesn’t change the fact that this is difficult for her. She had just learned to have faith again, to open her heart to love, when Natalia showed up with Alec. It’s a lot for her to handle. She needs this time with her friends.”